"If a clock could count down to the moment you meet your 'soulmate', would you want to know?" I read the text flashed in the screen of my phone, loud enough to let her hear it. My wrist itches.
"Well, apparently, it's already happening so I don't really think we have much choice," I laughed uncomfortably.
I watched her face, flushed with what seemed like excitement and anxiety. Of course, who wouldn't feel that on the moment you meet the person whom you would spent your forever with? We're waiting at a bookstore just a few blocks from the bus stop. She insisted on waiting there but apparently, the weather for this day isn't going to be really nice so we have to spend our time here. I glanced at her again. Beads of sweat are forming on her forehead, she restlessly taps her foot on the floor and keeps rubbing her hands. Her eyes are now wide with something like fear. Or is it still excitement?
"Just five minutes now," she says when she caught me looking at her. I smiled at her reassuringly. "You'll be fine," I replied, reaching her hand which she swiftly hid inside her coat. I darted my eyes onto hers, she can't look at me. A shiver went down through my spine. 'Course, how stupid of me. A girl nearly meeting her soulmate wouldn't really approve another guy holding her hand at that moment.
"Sorry. It's just. . . I mean, I can't afford to ruin this, okay?" she says, brushing her hand on my arm.
"Yeah. I'm fine, don't worry. It's just really stupid of me to-" I stopped myself, forcing a smile. We won't go into that part. It would be too selfish of me to ruin this moment of hers, determining her future and whatnot. She keeps on glancing at her wrist. So do I. I looked at her again. She's flipping the pages of some book she just got, her lips pressed into a thin line, probably thinking there could be a more romantic setting, or ambiance, or weather for this particular occasion. I catched a view of her wrist. "Just two minutes," I whispered to myself. 'Just two minutes until her clock reaches zero, until she meets the man she would spend forever with..'
"I guess I'd better go. I'll be waiting on the bus stop if. . . I mean, in case you need me or something." I say, picking up my phone. She flashes a smile. I try to smile back. I think it's more of a grimace.
The bell that hung lowly on the door chimed as I slowly made my way out of the bookstore, holding my umbrella. Rain sheeted down on everything I set my eyes on. I wonder if he, someone or whoever that is, will come. I slumped my body on the bench, my eyes losing focus on the bookstore's door, fixing on the black screen of my phone. I looked up. Nobody's coming. Still, the weight of something unrecognizable hung on me, pulling me to the ground.
This is probably the end of it. Just as I thought of it, a faint sound of a bell reached my ear. She's going out. I fixed my eyes on her and saw tears dropping down to her cheeks as she was about to run towards me. I scrambled to my feet to reach my umbrella but just as I was stepping out of the bus stop, a strange feeling hits me and halts me to a stop. There was a tall, masculine figure running towards her too, and for a moment, I can't move. I can't speak. I can't do anything but stare at her, and at the figure moving towards her who suddenly removes his coat and covers her with it. She looks up, finding his face. I saw the side of his lips form a smile. She smiled back. And just like that, they're moving away to some place. Probably somewhere where it's more romantic to spend their first day. My wrist itches. I watched as they moved, their bodies fitting each other perfectly. Just then, they suddenly stop and I catch a view of her looking back, waving at me. I waved back and though she can't see it through the rain, I force a smile. Probably for myself.
So THIS is the end of it, I thought. I feel a burning sensation down my throat and before I can do something, hot tears started to roll down to my cheeks. I take a look at my wrist and scratched it, trying to get rid of it.
Well, apparently, it's already happening so I don't really think we'll have much choice. . .
The numbers have never changed since I met her.
They've always been at 0.